Bags



April 4, 1961 J; w s ETAL 2,978,164

BAGS

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1958 April 4, 1961 R. J.'WILLIAMS EI'ALBAGS 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed May 22, 1958 BAGS Russell J. Williams,Clayton, and Charles V. Brady and August F. Ottinger, St. Louis, M0,,assignors to Bemis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofMissouri Filed May 22, 1958, Ser. No. 737,106

16 Claims. (Cl. Mil-66) virtually foolproof, being improved over theclosures,

shown in the above-noted copending application in that they make iteasier to obtain a grasp on the end of the thread for unraveling it; theprovision of closures of this character which, while being easily openedwhen desired, are strong closures, adapted to withstand strainsresulting from dropping or other rough handling of the bags; theprovision of closures of this character adapted for unraveling of theentire line of stitching in one piece with assurance that there will notbe any thread particles that may contaminate the contents of the bag;and the provision of closures .of this character which are economicaLinrespect to manufacture. Other objects and features will be in partapparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims. a In the accompanying drawings, in which several of variouspossible embodiments of the invention are illus- Itrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one end ing a closure of thisinvention; V Fig. 2 'is; an enlarged plan View of the upper right cornerof the bag shownin Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a view in elevation of the upper right corner of the bag shownin Fig. 1, illustrating the initial step of a bag havin the opening ofthe bag;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the upper right corner of the bag shownin Fig. 4 illustrating the initial step, in

the opening of the bag; j

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig.7 showing the unraveling of thethread. I

, Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings, a multiwall paper bag havingan end closure of this invention is indicated at 1. For simplicity, thebag is shown as a twoatent 2,978,16 Patented Apr. 4, 1961 is appliedalong its side margins in narrow strips. A

line of stitching indicated at 11 is driven through the tape and throughthe walls of the bag securing together the walls adjacent the end of thebag. When the tape has its margins pasted to the bag by narrow stripesof paste, the line of stitching is located outward of the stripes ofpaste. The length of the tape 9 is greater than the width of the bag,and the tape has end portions 13 and 15 which extend past the side edgesof the bag. The stitching 11 extends completely throughout the length ofthe tape and, "as shown, may be driven through a narrowpaper ribbon 17constituting a so-called filler cord located on the side of the bagwhich is referred to as the needle side, this side being the side whichfaced the needle of the sewing machine employed for stitching.

In accordance with this invention, the stitching at 11 is of a singlethread readily unravelable chain stitch type. As illustrated in Fig. 6,the single thread used for this stitching is designated 19. As will beunderstood by those conversant with the art, the stitching is formed byfeeding the bag with the tape 9 folded around the end of the bag througha sewing machine having a needle which drives loops 21 of the thread 19through the bag, thereby forming needle holes 23 in the bag, the loopsextending from the needle side of the tape 9 through the needle holes tothe other side of the tape, each loop being laid over on the said otherside and extending through the preceding loop 21. This type of stitchingis unraveled with ease by taking hold of thatend of the thread which isat the trailing end of the stitching in relation to the passage of thebag through the sewing machine, this being the end of the thread at thatend of the stitching in the direction in which the loops are laid over(the right end of the stitching as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 of thedrawings herein). It will be understood that unraveling proceeds bysuccessively pulling out the loops 21, the pulling out of each loopfreeing the next loop so that it may be pulled out.

In accordance with this invention, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the endportion 15 of the tape which projects from the right side edge of thebag is folded back on the bag, and the folded-back end portionlS isrcleasably secured to the bag by means of adhesive as indicated at 25.This folding is on a fold-line 27 which extends generally parallel tothe side edge of the 'bag and which is located somewhat outward from theside edge of the bag. The end portion 15 is folded over on theneedleside of the bag. Instead of having the adhesive 25 located a substantialdistance inward from the very end of the end portion 15 of the tape asin the above-noted copending application, the adhesive is located at thevery end of the end portion 15- of the tape so that the end stitch,which is specially designated 29, is anchored to the bag. Also, thewidth of the adhesive is less than the width of the end portion 15 ofthe tape so that at least one corner of the end portion (such as thecorner indicated at 31 in Fig. 1) is free of the bag so that it may begrasped between the thumb and the forefinger to pull or rip the endportion 15 away from the bag. The adhesive at 25 does notextendthroughout the entire length of the folded-over end portion 15, and partof end portion 15 from fold 27 to the adhesive 25 is free of the bag. I

, With the end portion 15 of the tape 9 folded back and adhered to thebag as above described, and hence a r 3 with the endportion of thestitching from which unraveling progresses folded back with the tape andanchored to the bag, unraveling of the stitching such as might occur inthe absence ofany anchoring thereof is prevented even under severestrains such as may occur due to dropping or other rough handling of thebag. It will be observed that the thread is anchored to the tape at apoint outward of the side edge of the bag, which means that the anchoris not subject to severe strains which, when the bag is dropped, 'comeon the portion of the stitching which extends from one side edge of thebag to the other. With the anchor so located it is also insured thatthere will be no unraveling whatsoever of the stitching inward past theside edge of the bag such as would open up the bag and cause loss of itscontents.

To open the bag shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a corner such as the corner 31of the end'portion 15 of the tape is grasped between the thumb andforefinger, and portion 15 pulled or ripped away from the. bag so thatit extends laterally outward free of the bag as illustrated in Fig. 3.Since the adhesive 25 contacts the thread and anchors the end stitch 29and the end of the filler cord 17 to the bag, the end portion 15 of thetape pulls away from those stitches which were initially driven throughend portion 15 and away from the end portion of the filler cord 17. Theend of the thread and the end of the filler cord 17 remain adhered tothe bag, and the stitches which pulled out of the end portion 15 appearas loops such as indicated at 33 in Fig. 3 extending out from the fillercord 17. The portion of the thread and the filler cord between theadhered end thereof and the corner of the bag, which portion is exposedon ripping away the end portion 15 of the tape, lies free of the bag andmay now be readily grasped as by inserting the forefinger under it asshown in Fig. 3, to obtain a grasp on the thread. Then the thread andthe tiller cord are pulled to pull them out of the adhesive 25 and tounravel the thread all the way across to the other side of the bag. Thethread will readily pull out of the adhesive 25 and then may be quicklyunraveled and pulled out of the bag as one continuous length of threadwithout any possibility of loose bits or pieces of thread contaminatingthe contents of the bag, as is desirable for certain products, inparticular food products for human consumption and animal feed. It willbe understood that suitableinstructions as to the pulling of the end ofthe tape and the pulling of the end of the thread may be printed on thebag.

From the above description and from Fig. 3, it will be seen that thepulling away of the folded-over end portion 15 of the tape has theresult of starting the unraveling of the thread, noting that all thestitches originally in the end portion 15 of the tape are in effectpulled out of end portion 15, and there is thus provided an unraveledportion of the thread of substantial length and so disposed to be easyto grasp in order to ccrnpletethe unraveling. in this respect, theclosure of this invention is to be distinguished from the closureillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the above-noted copending applicationwhere pulling away of the folded-over end portion of the tape does notstart the unraveling of the thread, and it is necessary to pick out theend stitch, after the end portion of the tape has been ripped away fromthe bag, in order to unravel the thread.

It will be observed that with the adhesive 25 located at the very end ofthe folded-rover end portion 15 of the tape, there is no possibility ofanyone grasping the central part of the end of end portion 15 of thetape in such manner as to pinch the end stitch 29 between the thumb andforefinger. If the end stitch 29 were so pinched, the stitches in theend portion 15 of the tape would pull away intact with the released endportion 15 of the tape, instead of having the tape rip away from thestitching and start the unraveling of the thread as illustrated inFig.3.

It is possible that the adhesive may be spaced somewhat back from theend of the folded-over end portion of the tape, as long as it is locatedat a point from which unraveling of the thread may be started, but thisis not as desirable as locating the adhesive at the very end because ofthe possibility of pinching of the end stitch between the thumb andforefinger.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification which is in all respects the same asthat of Figs. 1 and 2 except that the end portion 15 of the tape,instead of being folded back on a line parallel to the side of the bag,is folded back on a line 36 angled outward at a 45 angle in thedirection away from the end of the bag. Fig. 5 illustrates the endportion 15 of the tape of the Fig. 4 bag as it appears when pulled freeof the bag and made to extend laterally outward.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another form of the invention in which the endportion 15 of the tape 9 is not folded back, being left to extendlaterally outward from the side edge of the bag. A pull tab 35 isreleasably secured to the end portion 15 of the tape over the thread 19on the needle side of the tape by adhesive at 37. As shown, the tab 35consists of a strip of paper narrower than the folded tape 9. It extendsbeyond the end of the end portion 15 of the tape, so as to provide theprojecting end portion 39 for easy grasping. The adhesive extends fromthe inner end 41 of the tab all the way to the end of the tape. Thisanchors the thread against unraveling until is is desired to open thebag. It also secures the thread to the tab a point from which unravelingof the thread may be started, i.e., it secures the end stitch 29 to thetab. To open the bag, it is simply necessary to grasp and pull the tab.As shown in Fig. 9, the tab comes away from the tape carrying with itthe thread 19, which unravels and pulls out of the needle holes in thebag.

It will be observed that with the adhesive 37 extending to the very endof the end portion 15 of the tape, there is no possibility of anyonepushing back the tab 35 and grasping the central part of the end of endportion 15 of the tape in such manner as to pinch the end stitch 29between the thumb and forefinger. If the end stitch 29 were so pinched,the stitches in the end portion 15 of the tape would remain intactinstead of coming away with the tab. It is possible that the adhesivemay be spaced somewhat back from the end of the end portion 15 of thetape, as long as it is located at a point from which unraveling'of thethread may be started, but this is not as desirable as having theadhesive extend to the very end because of the possibility of pinchingof the end stitch between the thumb and forefinger.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intendedthat all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A bag having at least one end closure constituted by a line ofstitching driven through the walls of the bag and securing together thewalls adjacent said end of the bag, the stitching being of a singlethread readily unravelable chain stitch type which is unravelable bypulling the thread from one end of the stitching, and means releasablysecured to the bag over said one end of the stitching by adhesive andadapted to be grasped and pulled away from the bag, said adhesivecontacting the thread at a point from which unraveling of the thread maybe started and anchoring the thread against unraveling until it isdesired to open the bag, and whereby,.upon grasping and pulling saidmeans away from the bag, unraveling of the thread is started. a

2. A bag having at .least one end closure constituted by a line ofstitching driven through the walls of the bag and securing together thewalls adjacent said end of the bag, the stitching being of a singlethread readily unravelablechain stitch type which has loops extendingfrom one side of the bag through needle holes to the other side of thebag, each loop being laid over on the said other side of the bag andextending through an adjacent loop, said thread being readilyunravelable by pulling it from one end of the stitching, and meansreleasably secured to the bag over said one endof the stitching byadhesive and adapted to be grasped and pulled away from the bag, saidadhesive contacting a portion of the thread lying on said one side ofthe bag at a point from which unraveling of the thread may be startedand anchoring the thread against unraveling until it is desired to openthe bag, and whereby, upon grasping and pulling said means away from thebag, unraveling of the thread is started.

3. A bag having at least one end closure constituted by a tape foldedaround the respective end of the bag, a line of stitching'driven throughthe tape and through the walls of the bag and securing together thewalls ad jacent said end of the bag, the length of said tape beinggreater than the width of the bag and end portions of the tape extendingpast the side edges of the bag, the stitching extending completelythroughout the length of the tape, the stitching being of asingle-thread readily unravelable chain stitch type which is unravelableby pulling the thread from one end of the stitching, the end portion ofthe tape which includes said one end of the stitching and which projectsfrom the adjacent side edge of the bag being folded back on the bag andreleasably secured to the bag by adhesive, said ad-hesve being solocated as to secure the thread to the bag at a point from whichunraveling of the thread may be started and anchoring the thread againstunraveling until it is desired to openthe bag, and whereby, upongrasping the end of the folded-over end portion of the tape and pullingit away from the bag, the thread remains adhered to the bag by theadhesive and the end portion of the tape separates from the stitchingwith'attendant unraveling of the stitching from the adhesive to the saidadjacent side edge of the bag.

4. A bag as set forth in claim 3 wherein the said end portion of thetape is folded back on a line generally parallel to the side edge of thebag.

5. A bag as set forth in claim 3 wherein the said end portion of thetape is folded back on a line which is angled outward in the directionaway from the end of the bag.

6. A bag as set forth in claim 3 wherein the adhesive is located at thevery end of the said folded-over end portion of the tape and that partof the tape and stitching from the line where said end portion is foldedto the adhesive is free of the bag.

7. A bag as set forth in claim 6 wherein the adhesive is narrower thanthe tape so that at least one corner of the said folded-over end portionof the tape isfree of the bag for grasping thereof to pull said endportion away from the bag.

8. A multiwall paper bag having at least one end closure constituted bya paper tape folded around the respective end of the bag, a line ofstitching driven through the tape and through the walls of the, bag andsecuring together the walls adjacent said end of the bag, the length ofsaid tape being greater than the width of the bag and r end portions ofthe tape extending past the side edges of the bag, the stitchingextending completely throughout the length of the tape, the stitchingbeing of a single thread readily unravelable chain stitch type which hasloops extending from one side of the tape through needle holes to theother side of the tape, each loop being laid over on I the said otherside of the tape and extending through an adjacent loop, said threadbeing readily unravelable by pulling it from one end ofthe stitching,the end portion of the tape which includes said one end of the stitchingand which projects from the adjacent side edge ofthe bag being foldedback on the bag with said one side of said portion of the tape towardthe inside and releasably secured to the bag by adhesive, said adhesivebeing so located as to secure a portion of the thread lying on said oneside of the tape to the bag at a point from which unraveling of thethread may be started and anchoring the thread against unraveling untilit is desired to open the bag, and whereby, upon grasping the end of thefolded-over end portion of the tape and pulling it away from the bag,the thread remains adhered to the bag by the adhesive and the endportion of the tape separates from the stitching with attendantunraveling of the stitching from the adhesive to the said adjacent sideedge of the bag.

9. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the said end' portion of thetape is folded back on a line parallel to the side edge of the bag.

10. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the said end portion of thetape is folded back on a line which is angled outward in the directionaway from the end of the bag.

11. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the adhesive is located at thevery end of the said folded-over end portion of the tape and that partof the tape and stitching from the line where said end portion is foldedtothe adhesive is free of the bag.

12. A bag as set forth in claim 11 wherein the adhesive is narrower thanthe tape so that at least one corner of the said folded-over end portionof the tape is free of the bag for grasping thereof to pull saidendportion away from the bag.

13. A bag having at least one end closure constituted by a tape foldedaround the respective end of the bag, a line of stitching driven throughthe tape and through the walls of the bag and securing together theWalls adjacent said end of the bag, the length of said tape beinggreater than the width of the bag and end portions of the tape extendingpast the side edges of the bag, the stitching extending completelythroughout the length of the tape, the stitching being of a singlethread readily unravelable chain stitch type which is unravelable bypulling the thread from one end of the stitching, and a tab releasablysecured to the tape over said one end of the thread by adhesive andadapted to be grasped and pulled away from the tape, said adhesive alsoanchoring the thread against unraveling until it is desired to open thebag and securing the thread to the tab at a point from which unravelingof the thread may be started, whereby, upon grasping and pulling the tabaway from the tape, the thread is pulled away with the tab andunraveled.

1 4. A multiwall paper bag having at least one end closure constitutedby a paper tape folded around the respective end of the bag, a line ofstitching driven through the tape and throughthe walls of the bag andsecuring together the walls adjacent said end of the bag, the length ofsaid tape being. greater than the width of the bag and end portions ofthe tape extending past the side edges of the bag, the stitchingextending completely throughout the length of the tape, the stitchingbeing of a single thread readily unravelable chain'stitch type whichgenerally has'loops extending from one side of the tape through .alsoanchoring the thread against unraveling until it is desired to open thebag and securing the thread to the tab at a point from which unravelingof the thread may be started, whereby, upon grasping and pulling the tabaway from the tape, the thread is pulled away' with the tab andunraveled.

15. A bag as set forth in claim 14 wherein the tab comprises a strip ofpaper which extends at least to the end of the tape and which is securedto the tape by adhesive from its inner end to the end of the tape.

16. A bag as'set forth in claim 14 wherein the tab comprises a strip ofpaper narrower than the tape and projecting beyond the end of the tapeand is secured to the tape by adhesive from its inner end to the end ofthe tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BatesDec. 14, Dever Mar. 20, Swanson Dec. 10,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 19, Canada Feb. 26, Canada Feb. 26,France Nov. 12,

